


The Tale of Prince William Graham and the Insufferable Dragon Hannibal Lecter

by Ghostwriter98



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Bossy knight Jack Crawford, Dragon Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal is Hannibal, Jealousy, King Mason, M/M, Minor Character Death, Period-Typical Homophobia, Prince Will, Princess Alana, Shapeshifter Hannibal, Steed Chilton, almost major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-09-10 14:49:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 14,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8921296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostwriter98/pseuds/Ghostwriter98
Summary: All Prince William Graham of Baltimore desires is to rescue Princess Alana Bloom from a remote castle and win her heart. Nobody said anything about being entertainment for a polite yet murderous dragon. Starring Jack Crawford as a bossy knight, Chilton as the cowardly steed, Alana Bloom as a rather indecisive princess and Hannibal Lecter as the insufferable dragon.





	1. Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note:**

> I like fairy tales and I like the Hannibal T.V. series. That is the only way I can explain what I have created. Oh, that and Shrek.

Once upon a time, in the far, far away kingdom of Baltimore, there lived an empathetic prince named William Graham who was in desperate need of a princess. Sadly, the only princess who had captivated his interest was the beautiful and fair Princess Alana Bloom. He was not the only one who was enraptured by the presence of such a spirited and desirable young woman. King and Queen Bloom who had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of marriage proposals they had received for their daughter from respectful suitors, locked her in a castle with a fierce dragon to protect her. They reasoned that only a man who cared for her enough to risk their life and had the skills and abilities to free her from such a beast were worthy of their daughter’s hand in marriage.

Prince William was fastly approaching his twenty first birthday. Time was running out before he would be forced into matrimony with or without his consent. The prince would rather die than marry the other potential brides his family had lined up for him. One even being the horrendous Princess Bedelia Du Maurier who was said to thoroughly enjoy mentally tormenting people with their deepest and darkest desires. She always looked at the prince as though he were an injured little bird she had the desire to crush.

Prince William was torn for he knew deep down that his parents would never condone such a risky adventure to rescue Princess Alana Bloom. So, in the dead of the night, a week before his twenty first birthday, Prince William gathered his trusty steed Chilton and his most loyal knight Sir Jack Crawford and ventured off to find and rescue the princess. Together Chilton, Crawford and William crossed wide rivers, vast open fields and forests so densely packed with trees that movement was a difficult feat. Nights of sleeping by fires on the cold hard ground had left Prince William sleep deprived and tired. By the time they reached the dreaded castle where the princess was kept, he could barely keep his eyes open. He dismantled his horse and landed with a crunch on what he assumed were leaves below his feet.

“Prince William, we should stop for a moment and formulate a plan of attack.” Sir Jack spoke in a tone too firm to be suggestive. Prince William narrowed his eyes in a glare but otherwise allowed himself to be ordered by the man of lower social ranking. He was used to this by now.

“What do you suggest, Sir Jack Crawford?” William asked tiredly as he rubbed his eyes. He was beginning to regret this irrational plan of his.

“It is said that the dragon that guards the princess is immortal and bloodthirsty. I think rather than attempt to slay the creature as so many evidently tried and failed to do before. We attempt to sneak past it and avoid detection.” The knight responded rationally, gesturing to the human bones scattered before them.

Prince William glanced down and jumped when he realized that what he thought was the crunch of leaves was actually the crackling of the remains of those who had died. He suddenly felt light headed and dizzy. _Was he really going to do this? Risk his life for a woman who might not even remember him?_ Regardless of his sudden fear, he found himself nodding in assent to the knight’s plan. Beside him, Chilton let out a distressed noise and shook his head in disapproval at the very thought of entering the foreboding castle.

“There there, Chilton.” William attempted to calm his horse with a few pats to his head but he only seemed to become more panicked. When he attempted to mount his horse again, Chilton kicked up a fuss and made it impossible. Prince William cursed.

“Stop being such a bloody coward!” He hissed into the animal’s ear but he remained inconsolable. After ten minutes of fighting with his steed, he gave up and lead the unwilling horse to a nearby tree and tied him there.

“I hope you are happy.” He grumbled and the rather smug look on Chilton’s face told him that he was very much so. This was why he preferred the palace dogs, they were considerably more reliable and courageous than the palace horses.

Together, Sir Jack Crawford and Prince William huddled together and discussed the rest of their plan while Chilton turned a blind eye, rather content with the apple he had stolen from William’s bag when the prince wasn’t looking. All three of them were unaware of a pair of burning maroon eyes curiously observing the team from afar, the unreadable face lingering a few moments longer than necessary on the prince.


	2. Checkmate

“Jack.” Prince William hissed, abandoning formality as he hid in the dark shadows present in the halls of the castle. He and the knight had decided to split up in order to find the princess at a faster rate. Now the prince was seriously regretting his decision. His skin prickled with the distinct feeling that he was being watched by the intimidating portraits of deceased relatives on the walls. _That's ridiculous._ His mind flashed back to the royal family doctor who had declared him mentally ill and he shuddered.

Every corridor and room looked the same. He had been scuttling blindly in the dark for what felt like days but was more likely hours. The prince did not feel like he and the knight had the upper hand as they had originally planned but rather that they were mere players in a game that was being observed by another force entirely. He heard a scratching sound on the tiled floor below and instantly froze. The thudding of something large and heavy echoed nearby and Prince William pressed himself further into the wall behind his back. He desperately wished he could melt into the stone. A strange noise assaulted his ears. It sounded almost as if something was _sniffing._ His heart beat louder in his chest as there was a brief pause in the movement of the creature. Then it continued and Prince William let out a sigh of relief.

The relief was short lived though for a loud agonized scream echoed around him. William instantly recognized the sound as something distinctly not human. _Chilton_. Without a thought for the repercussions, Prince William bolted towards the pained yelp. He knew most princes would leave their steed to die, thinking an animal was not worth the risk of their own health. Hell, most left their men to die in battle but Prince William was no ordinary prince. He sprinted down the corridor with abandon and slammed into walls in his hurry to reach his horse. He was halted in his efforts when an arm wrapped around his waist and he was thrown into a wall.

“What the hell are you doing, Prince William?” Sir Jack growled lowly under his breath with a firm grip on the prince’s armor clad shoulders. “Leave the horse be for he is just a measly animal. We must save Princess Alana Bloom’s life from this monster!”

“We cannot sit by and let Chilton be tortured!” Prince William argued hotly as he struggled hard against the unmovable hold of his knight. He let out a gasp of pain as those fingers dug painfully into the only vulnerable place available, a bit of exposed skin between his helmet and chest plate.

“We have human lives to save, William.” The knight spat coldly and left no room for argument as he enunciated clearly. “Let. The. Horse. Go.”

Another agonized neigh shocked the prince into action. The surprise of being attacked by one of his own trusted companions wore off as he slammed his head forward in a headbutt. Both men's helmets rang loudly with the collision. However, Prince William was prepared for the painful ringing and used this advantage to dislodge himself from the knight. Once free, he took off in the direction of the tortured screams. He glanced back, only to see the solemn expression of Sir Jack Crawford through his open helmet. The knight then turned his back on Prince William once and for all.

When William reached the main entrance, he shoved the heavy doors open with all his might. He blinked as his eyes became accustomed to the bright daylight after spending so long in the dark halls of the castle. His mouth dropped open in horror as they fell on Chilton with his hair ablaze. The horse was writhing in agony but was unable to escape to find water as he was still tied to the tree. The prince rushed over and reached to unsheathe his sword but froze. His heart clenched painfully in his chest when he caught sight of the horse’s lips. They were raw and bloody from Chilton’s careless attempts to bite himself free from the tree. The prince shook his head in pity and swiftly cut the rope, dragging the whining horse to the nearest stream he could find. William's eyes filled with tears as he watched Chilton wince with every movement.

Immediately after reaching the cooling body of water, he splashed the horse with the liquid and helped Chilton kneel in the stream. The horse closed his eyes in bliss as the water extinguished the flames before opening them again to pin the prince with a hateful glare. Prince William couldn’t help but feel offended at the ungratefulness of the action. After all, he had risked his own life for the creature and ruined all his progress in finding the princess. It also made the prince wonder where the dragon had gone. William had been so sure the devious creature would have been waiting for him to return to his horse, a rather good trap, before ending his life. Instead, he had only found Chilton on fire and alone.

He heard another scream of anguish. This time it was a human wail. William rushed to his feet before closing his eyes in realization. The dragon was toying with him and hurting those who he held dear in a cruel game before slaughtering him. This was torture and far worse than any of the terrifying stories others had told him of the dragon. This showed calculation and intelligence as well as a thirst for blood and pain. Prince William was in a tough position, a checkmate of sorts. The dragon had won the battle for Princess Alana and it was up to William to decide what he was going to do. Did he abandon Sir Jack and run or allow himself to reenter the castle knowing he will likely be slain? His decision was promptly made when another yell for mercy sounded. The prince rushed after the knight who had forsaken him. It seemed like a rather idiotic decision but William was a man who could not live with a guilty conscience and would never be able to live with himself if he didn’t attempt to save Sir Jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dragon Hannibal appears properly next chapter.


	3. Meeting the Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The words or phrases in italics are either inner thoughts of the characters or words that are emphasized in speech.

He found his knight impaled with his own sword and with multiple stab wounds. Somehow, the sword had missed every vital organ in his body, forcing the knight to slowly bleed out in a rather prolonged excruciating demise.

“William, you fool!” Sir Jack Crawford spluttered in disbelief at the appearance of the prince. “Go before he catches you!”

“I am afraid your warning, while touching, is already much too late, Sir Jack Crawford.” A heavily accented voice spoke from above. William’s head snapped upward, frightened by the unfamiliar voice.

The ceiling was high, higher than any room he had ever been in. It was there, perched on the wooden beams in the roof, that the dragon rested. The dragon itself was a rather intimidating creature. He was long and lithe with black scales that encompassed every inch of his body. Running down his back were also sharp spikes that shone and glittered like polished onyx. His eyes were a deep maroon that appeared to glow in the flickering candles that adorned the room. The irises were further accentuated by the creature’s high cheekbones and thin lips which were currently bared, showing row after row of sharp pointy teeth. The prince felt faint at the very sight of the dragon but a part of him had to grudgingly admit that he was rather exquisite in his beauty.

Jack let out a gurgling cough, blood spurting out of the corner of his mouth. William’s attention immediately snapped back to his dying knight (and friend) and he fell forward to grasp the man’s hand. The dragon tsked, rather offended that his presence was being ignored in favor of a lesser being. The prince ignored the action.

“You were a wonderful knight.” Prince William spoke reverently, putting his own fear for his life aside for his dying brethren. “I could not have asked for a better companion for this journey.”

Sir Jack Crawford’s eyes shone with pride before fading entirely. His grip slackened in the prince’s hand. William let out a loud moan and gripped his helmet with blood stained hands. The dragon thought the sight was rather bewitching.

“Why are you doing this to me?!” The prince screamed, his voice filled with torment.

“I was curious what would happen.” The dragon’s smooth reply left the prince dumbfounded.

 _“Curious?_ ” He spluttered in disbelief, his face growing red with rage. “You set fire to my horse and impaled my knight because you were _curious_!”

His words echoed loudly and William was startled to realize that he was yelling again.

“Lower your voice, William.” The dragon reprimanded gently. “It is rude to yell at a stranger and I absolutely abhor rudeness.”

“Sorry.” The prince replied automatically and was immediately filled with self-loathing. _How could he apologize to a creature who had taken so much so cruelly from him for no reason other than for his own personal enjoyment?_

The dragon hummed his appreciation which only served to further enrage the prince.

“Now you listen here you sick, twisted -” William trailed off as the unfurling of large webbed wings left his mouth dry. The dragon rose to its full and intimidating height in the roof before ascending in a majestic sweep to the prince’s level. William’s heart beat loud in his chest in a staccato rhythm as he faced what could only be described as death in its dark, maroon eyes.

“Please do continue.” The dragon prompted, looking down at the prince as though he were an insignificant ant.

“I – er – nothing.” The prince mumbled as he internally cursed his cowardliness.

“It would be wise to put that away. It would displease me greatly to have to forcibly remove it.” The dragon advised, eyes drifting towards the sword that the prince hadn’t even realized he had unsheathed. It was held tightly in his white knuckled grip.

William juggled his options in his mind. He knew for certain that he could not defeat this dragon alone. He simply wasn’t good enough and besides, if the legends were true and the scales were almost impenetrable, then his sword would do no damage to the beast. _It would be better to keep the monster happy._ He slowly lowered his weapon and tucked it back into its sheathe.

“Good. Now, I was rather hoping you would allow be to conduct an inquiry of sorts?” The dragon politely asked although his tone was firm enough for the prince to realize that there was only one answer.

William nodded his head for he was afraid that if he spoke his voice would quiver.

“Why did you return to your horse after he cowardly refused to stand by you on your journey to recover Princess Alana Bloom? Surely, he did not deserve such treatment.” The dragon’s voice was filled with curiosity. William felt nauseous at the realization that every move he had made, even before his entry into the castle, had been carefully observed by the dragon who was always one step ahead of him. _How else would he have known of Chilton’s reluctance to enter the castle?_

“He is my steed.” Was the prince’s simple reply. “I could not listen to him suffer without feeling guilty.”

The dragon stared intensely into William’s eyes and the prince knew he was saving every word and every movement the prince made into his memory.

“And your knight Sir Jack Crawford who restrained you against your will and abandoned you to enter what most would consider a trap by yourself. Why risk your life for a man who had already decided yours was not worth the risk of his?” The dragon continued his interrogation relentlessly. William had a feeling that these answers would be the difference between life and death for him.

“He was my knight. I could not leave without him when there was a chance that he could still be alive.” The prince lowered his eyes. “It would be dishonorable.”

“No one would know of your actions.” The dragon countered with his head inclined towards William with interest. “You could spin a heroic tale and paint yourself as the strong, sole survivor.”

“But I would know. I would not be able to escape the past, especially at night.” The _in my dreams_ was unspoken. However, the ever observant dragon immediately picked up on it.

“Do you often suffer from nightmares, William?” The dragon breathed with thinly concealed fascination. His eyes scanned his new found entertainment with glee. “I cannot imagine why. Living the sheltered life of a prince such as yourself.”

“That is rather personal.” The prince retorted stiffly as he felt his face rise with colour.

“I apologize if I have offended you in some way.” The dragon bowed his head slightly and William couldn’t help but feel strange in the presence of this ruthless yet surprisingly polite creature. “I find you rather intriguing and greatly desire to study you further.”

“Study me?” The prince squeaked.

“Yes, study you,” The dragon patiently replied before adding as an afterthought, “alive.”

William felt overwhelmed suddenly by the hope that he would live through this nightmare.

“But I warn you.” The dragon spoke coldly, voice suddenly eerie and venomous. “If you try to run then I will hunt you down and devour you for morning tea or perhaps dinner. I have been desiring a roast as of late. A few vegetables and seasoning and you would taste absolutely divine.”

The prince swallowed thickly before nodding slowly.

“Use your words, William.” The dragon chastised softly.

“I-I understand…..” The prince trailed off, unsure how to address the creature and not wanting to offend it when his life remained in the balance.

“Oh, how rude of me. I have neglected to formally introduce myself.” The dragon appeared quite embarrassed. “My name is Hannibal Lecter. Please try to refrain from addressing me as my species. You would not like it if I started calling you _the human_ would you?”

“No.” William admitted quietly.

“Very good. I am glad we came to an agreement.” Hannibal replied and although his face remained stoic, the prince could see the smile in his eyes.


	4. The Dragon's Treasure

Prince William Graham was now as much of a prisoner as Princess Alana Bloom. _Except,_ the prince thought bitterly, _nobody was coming to save him from the dragon_. The beast, Hannibal Lecter as he preferred to be called, was currently curled around him on a mound of treasure he had collected. William, though allowed to explore the castle during the day and well aware of the number of unused bedrooms in the castle, was forced to sleep on the hard mound of treasure the dragon kept with only a thin mattress separating him from the strong, metallic smell of the gold. When questioning the dragon of his current living arrangements, his only response was that: "trust is something that must be earned William." As though the threat of being eaten alive was not enough to keep the prince from attempting to escape at night. _Honestly, he was not stupid._ The dragon was plain _ridiculous._

“Why do you keep all this gold and treasure?” The prince curiously enquired one day. _After all, what use could a dragon have for riches?_

“I enjoy collecting beautiful items, dear William.” Was Hannibal’s simple reply as he looked pointedly at the prince.

“You honestly do not mean to include me?”

“You do not see the beauty you behold.” The dragon appeared fascinated and alarmingly serious in his statement.

“There is nothing beautiful in the broken.” Came the prince’s cryptic reply.

“Are you referring to your nightmares?”

“Maybe.” The prince lowered his eyes, unable to make eye contact.

“What do you dream about at night that causes you such terror?” The question had the prince’s mind reeling. _Blood. Death. Destruction._

The towns people had said there was something wrong with him, that he was _sick_ in the head. After a while the prince had started to believe them.

“Taking the throne.” William lied as he used his usual perfunctory response.

The dragon let out a disapproving noise that made the prince flinch.

“I can tell when you lie William so I would advise that you always tell me the truth.” Hannibal spoke calmly, though the underlying threat was apparent. “I very much detest liars.”

“I would rather not.” The prince retorted stiffly as he turned his back on the creature. Only afterwards did he realize that was probably not the best idea given what the dragon was capable of.

“Foolish boy!” Hannibal hissed lowly and his warm breath on the prince’s neck had William jumping. “You are making it awfully difficult to study you. If I cannot understand your mind then you are of no further use to me.”

“Is that a threat Hannibal?” The prince asked, voice deceptively soft juxtaposed to the rage he felt inside at the blackmail. “Will you kill me if I no longer interest you?”

“Yes.” The reply was short and jarring, _truthful._ The prince was surprised and strangely touched by the honesty.

“Thank you.” The words slipped out before he could stop them.

“Whatever for?” The slightest inflection revealed the dragon’s surprise.

“For always being honest with me. Everybody else in Baltimore wore masks. Always polite to my face but calling me insane and a sorcerer behind my back.” William’s tone turned bitter. “I would not be surprised if they are celebrating my disappearance now as we speak.”

“And why is that?” The insistent question demanded an answer. _Speak or be killed._

“I was – _am_ – different. I can feel what others feel, assume their point of view in a way.” The prince suddenly became defensive and his shoulders tensed up. “It is not witchcraft. I do not practice the dark arts.”

“Of course not William.” The dragon agreed easily, much to the prince's surprise. “You are merely empathetic. A gift that is to be treasured.”

The prince snorted in disbelief. “It is really more of a curse.”

“What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Hannibal hummed thoughtfully. “What you see a burden I see a gift. Life is a matter of perspective. All you must worry about, darling William, is that I view you in a positive light and you will live for a very long time yet.”

The prince let out a startled laugh at the realization. “I am to be your entertainment? I am _not_ some fucking pet to be owned Hannibal!”

“Language.” The dragon instantly reprimanded and the prince was filled with self-loathing when he actually felt _bad_ for swearing.

“That is not the point!” The prince insisted hotly. “The point is that I am not a possession!”

Hannibal’s answering smile was truly terrifying. “Oh my prince, you have yet to realize that you became mine the second you entered this castle.”

William scowled angrily and certainly did _not_ blush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty dialogue focused. Next will be a lot more action packed as Hannibal does what he does best.


	5. Fresh, Skewered or Roasted?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I really want to thank you all for your kudos and comments. It's really inspiring for me and puts a smile on my face.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows living with the dragon. Every second day, some deluded prince or knight with an enlarged ego and an obvious death wish, would charge the castle and promptly be eaten alive. The men died a variety of gruesome ways, some where skewered by claws and others were burnt beyond recognition. It really depended on the dragon’s mood (and appetite). Every invasion and death took its toll on William who was forced to witness it with his current living arrangements. His nights were filled with the screams and cries of those he could not save and his days were filled with self-hatred and guilt at his inability to stop the dragon’s murderous actions.

The prince’s eyes flickered open in alarm and dread when he felt the familiar feeling of Hannibal’s tail brushing against his leg, early this very morning.

“Let me sleep, Hannibal.” The prince mumbled tiredly as he rolled away from the irritating dragon.

“We are being invaded.” If William were more awake, he would have noticed how Hannibal’s usually calm and collected exterior had been shed, and he was instead tense and on edge. The dragon hated how worked up these confrontations made William and wanted to end them as quickly as possible.

The prince’s breathing deepened for he knew what was to come.

“Please do not do this, Hannibal!” William begged with tears in his eyes. “I can not bear to see you kill another person! I can not!”

“William,” Hannibal warned lowly with a bite in his voice. “I am relocating you to the rafters where you will be protected from harm.”

“What?” William began to struggle as the dragon’s tail curled around his waist and lifted him into the air. “No, Hannibal! Put me down this instant!”

The prince was placed gently on the wooden beams that ran throughout the roof. His eyes widened in shock for this was the first time the dragon had made an effort to shield him from danger. Usually, he had to fend for himself during the attacks. _Then again, last time he had thrown himself in front of another prince and was nearly obliterated into a crisp by Hannibal’s fiery wrath._

The prince hastily glanced over the side of the beam and let out a startled yelp at the large drop. William quickly dropped down and lay flat on the wood, closing his eyes in terror. He felt lightheaded. _This was a really bad time to realize he had a phobia of heights._

“Hannibal!” William wailed fearfully. “Get me down from here, damn it!”

The prince’s pleas fell on deaf ears as the sound of confrontation echoed throughout the treasure room.

“You foul beast!” A deep, unfamiliar voice snarled and was followed by the sound of a sword being unsheathed. “Where do you keep your hostage?!”

“Are you referring to Princess Alana?" Hannibal’s voice positively rumbled in his chest. The prince peaked over the edge of the beam and sure enough, the dragon’s stomach was glowing red. William knew he was building up heat so he could breathe fire and death over his uninvited guest. "If so, I will never tell."

“No, I do not mean her.” A man with black hair as dark as the night sky and a mean, angular face spat. “I mean the uncultured woman who swears and cries for my help currently! Do you have no remorse, evil spawn of Satan?!”

The dragon chuckled which caused the prince to blush scarlet and exclaim defensively, “I am not a woman nor do I sound like one!”

“Never you fear. I Sir Marcus Salona will save you from this beast whether you be man or woman.” The knight declared bravely as he charged the dragon with his sword extended. The metal smashed against the dragon’s tough skin but could not penetrate it, causing the sword to bend at a right degree angle. Hannibal raised an unimpressed brow bone.

“No, go! Leave me!” William pleaded desperately, unable to watch another demise. “Please, save yourself!”

“I cannot for - ” The knight’s words were broken off as he was impaled through the stomach with a sharp claw. He dropped his broken sword and dramatically exclaimed. “I have been slain!”

“No!” The prince screamed as sobs tore free from his throat. He reached out over the wooden beam precariously. “Hannibal please, I am begging you! Do not eat him! Let me bury him and give him the respect he deserves.”

The dragon ignored the prince’s words, making quick work of stripping the knight out of his metal armor with his sharp talons. A burst of flame engulfed the knights being until all that remained was a charcoaled corpse. The dragon then daintily picked up his meal and slowly consumed his morsel with all the etiquette of a royal.

“Oh God –“ William broke off as he bit his fist in agony. “Why?! Why do you do this to me?!”

“I am sorry, William.” Hannibal apologized after he had swallowed his meal. It is rude to talk with a mouth full of food, after all. “But I was rather famished and in the mood for roasted human. A dragon must eat and with our large physique, we require quite a generous amount of sustenance to keep us at a healthy weight.”

“You are a monster!” William blabbered brokenly though his tears. “A monster!”

The dragon frowned minutely, feeling rather offended by the prince's statement. Honestly, William was more trouble than he was worth. It would be easier to consume him now then to continue monitoring over him constantly. However, Hannibal just couldn’t bring himself to do it. _A rather worrying sign indeed._


	6. Bonding Over a Shared Sense of Loneliness

There was something awfully wrong with Prince William. He was becoming too invested in his conversations with the dragon. In fact, the prince noticed with genuine surprise one morning weeks after his imprisonment, he rather enjoyed conversing with the beast that had kidnapped him. Maybe these pesky feelings had formed because the dragon was William's only form of entertainment in the castle, or perhaps, they grew because Hannibal was quite wise and very opinionated. All that the prince knew was that he felt his hatred for the dragon warring with a new emotion, _interest_. You see, that wasn’t very good as the psychotic dragon had brutally murdered William’s knight and countless others, thus putting William in a moral dilemma. There was also the fact that the prince’s life was tied to however long he could remain intriguing to said captor. The townspeople were right, there was something wrong with the prince mentally. Right now, William was watching the dragon positively preening beside all his treasure like the narcissistic asshole he was. _Honestly, what good qualities did he even see in the dragon?_

“Will you stop all that peacocking.” William grumbled to himself, rubbing his facial growth in an attempt to hide the small uncontrollable smirk on his lips.

“Peacocking?” The dragon raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “I am merely admiring my exquisite collection of artwork and jewels.”

“You are showing off like a male peacock to a group of peahens.” The prince rolled his eyes, a rude habit the dragon was finding increasingly endearing. “It is irritating as hell.”

“I see,” Hannibal mused thoughtfully, “and in this metaphorical analogy does that make you the peahen that I am “showing off” my abilities too? Are you insinuating that I am courting you, Prince William?”

The prince ducked his head, face burning with heat.

“N-no,” He stuttered, internally cursing himself at his lack of composure, “nevermind.”

“On the contrary, I quite like the direction this conversation is taking.”

The prince scowled, “you like any conversation that makes me mildly uncomfortable.”

The dragon hummed his assent, never outright lying to the prince. There was a long lapse in conversation.

“Enlighten me, William.” Hannibal questioned suddenly. “What do you pine for most from your castle in Baltimore?”

“That palace was not my home.” Came the prince’s instant reply to which he immediately berated himself. It had become all too easy to spill his thoughts and feelings to the dragon.

“Please elaborate.”

“I never felt at peace there.” The prince admitted quietly. “I had a role to fulfill. I had to be strong and collected while inside I was…well…. _not._ Everyday, I tried to put on this facade but it was so hard because I did not care about the politics of war, marriage or the petty gossip of the maids.”

“You would have been a minority.” Hannibal pointed out.

“Minority?” The prince chuckled dryly. “I was the only bloody one! It was always so……”

“Lonely.” The breathed words were softened considerably by the dragon’s accent.

“Lonely.” Will affirmed, swallowing a lump in his throat as he forced himself to make eye contact with Hannibal. Those glowing maroon eyes held a certain level of understanding in them.

“You do not have to be alone anymore, William.” The prince jumped as the tip of the dragon’s tail came to rest on his shoulder. He tensed up, not used to such gestures of affection, especially not from a fire breathing dragon.

“Why?” William sneered. “Because I have you? I would rather be alone than have a cruel murderous dragon for company!”

The dragon’s face remained emotionless though his eyes danced with glee.

“I believe I have already forewarned you, foolish boy.” Hannibal breathed with an air of arrogance. “I can sense when you are being dishonest.”

“Bullshit.” William spat, ignoring the disapproving frown he received for his uncouth language. He turned his face away from the beast, feeling his heart sink because deep down he knew the dragon’s words to be true.

The prince suddenly let out a loud scream of aggravation, not unlike a child throwing a tantrum, before shoving his way through the gold to escape Hannibal’s grating presence. Glowing maroon eyes devoured each and every movement the prince made. Hannibal was a patient dragon and even though he was not entirely aware of what his future plans for William’s fate were in the current moment, he knew with certainty that they were on the right track.


	7. Humans are Pigs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Time passes fast in this fic so pay a lot of attention to the amount of time mentioned at the beginning of each chapter.

Prince William had been trapped in the castle for months now and even though he had been searching the seemingly endless halls daily, he had yet to find Princess Alana Bloom. He was starting to become afraid for her well-being. On the fourth day, he finally cracked.

“Where is Princess Alana Bloom?” He asked Hannibal with obvious irritation. The dragon’s blank look made him anxious.

His voice lowered to a whisper as he breathed out his fears. “You have not eaten her, have you?”

“Do you honestly believe I make a habit of devouring those whom I am assigned to protect?” The dragon had the nerve to look offended, as though he hadn’t constantly threatened to consume William if he ever attempted an escape.

“Perhaps,” William replied tiredly, running a hand through his hair, “I do not know.”

Hannibal did not look impressed with that answer.

“No, I have not.” The dragon retorted with a sharp edge. “I made an oath to protect Alana Bloom and I pride myself on keeping my word.”

“How honorable.” Prince William snorted. Hannibal narrowed his eyes threateningly.

“What?” The prince sneered at the dragon’s reaction. “You feel morally obliged to keep promises but have no qualms about violently slaughtering humans?”

“Tell me, William.” Hannibal’s voice was completely devoid of emotion at this point. “Did you devour meat dishes in your castle in Baltimore? Containing cow, chicken or pig perhaps?”

“Yes.” The prince rolled his eyes at the rather inane question. The dragon stiffened at the rude action.

“Was that barbaric murder?”

“No, the animals were beneath us.” William shrugged offhandedly. “We needed to eat them in order to survive and we did not let them suffer when we killed them.”

“I see, for you it is not inhumane when a person or animal is slaughtering an inferior species.” Hannibal summarized.

William reluctantly answered, “.....yes.” 

“What do you think I view humans as William?” The dragon hissed, voice positively oozing with dark and malicious intent. Prince William took a step back in fear. “With your subpar weaponary.” Hannibal demonstrated his point by snapping a knight's forgotten sword in two merely by stepping on the flimsy metal. “Your fragile bones,” the dragon’s claws stretched over the broken remains of his deceased victims, “and the disgusting stench of your sweat.” Hannibal inhaled sharply and gave the prince a pointed look. “To me William, you are all revolting, filthy pigs.”

The prince, though knowing it was completely irrational, couldn’t help but feel hurt by the words of the dragon.

“Is that what I am to you?” William’s voice wobbled and he cursed himself for displaying his wounded feelings so openly. “A pig?”

The following silence was telling, the truth crystal clear in the dragon's eyes.  William felt fury bubble in his chest.

“Fuck you, Hannibal!” He hollered with pure unbridled rage. The dragon’s right eyelid twitched slightly. His only indication of his surprise at the outburst. “I was never _intrigued_ by pigs. I never _talked_ to pigs and I never _slept besides_ pigs! At least the palace pigs were never treated like an equal only to have that ripped away!”

The prince stormed off, finding it rather difficult to maneuver himself through the quite unexpected blur of frustrated tears obscuring his vision.

William couldn't decide what pained him more in that moment, Hannibal’s words or the fact that the dragon did not follow after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty short. Next will be longer.


	8. Hostage or Fan?

Quite ironically, it was thanks to their fight that William found Princess Alana. His angry fury had left him blinded by rage and with the intense urge to get as far away from Hannibal without leaving the castle as humanely possible. This lead to him venturing towards the back of the building, a fair distance from the front of the castle where the dragon's “den” was situated. Here, he found a hidden entrance that lead to the longest staircase he had ever seen. Too full of irritation to feel intimidated, he climbed each and every step and was surprised when he eventually came to a small landing. It contained only a single locked door. The prince let out a sigh and collapsed tiredly against the hinged structure, resting his back against the wood.

“Hannibal, is that you?” A soft timid voice called out and William jumped at the familiar sound.

“Alana, it is me!” The prince called out hurriedly, excitement bubbling in his voice. “It is William – William Graham.”

The door immediately swung open and the prince fell backwards into the room. Alana pounced on him and drew him into a deep hug. They remained silent for what felt like an eternity until the princess eventually spoke.

“Will, what are you _doing_ here?” Alana’s incredulous voice was muffled by his under clothes; a linen undershirt and linen pants. William no longer wore his armor. He didn't see the point when Hannibal had proven time and time again how easy it would be to kill him with or without the extra protection.

“I came to rescue you,” William exclaimed, lowering his voice as he grudgingly admitted with humiliation, “but in the process, I have somehow became the dragon’s prisoner too.”

“Prisoner?” The princess blinked in confusion as she pulled away from their embrace. “Oh William, you do not understand.”

The prince was instantly filled with dread. _This must be serious. It always was when Alana chose formalities over his childhood nickname._ “Understand what?” 

“Hannibal is not the one at fault here.” She spoke gently, knowing this would be difficult for the prince to comprehend.

“The dragon is not at fault?” William repeated her words doubtfully. “Alana, he slaughters every man who tries to rescue you! Of course he is at fault!”

“My parents locked me in here-”

“So you would be rescued and marry only the best suitor.” William recited. “Yes, I _know_.”

“No!” Alana’s aghast voice surprised him, allowing the prince to notice the tears in her eyes. “They imprisoned me in this tower because I was in love with a woman named Margot. When they discovered our relationship they demanded I end it and marry a prince. When I refused, they threw me in here to hide their shame.”

Prince William was disappointed. He had been so certain that if he could just reach Alana he could easily convince her to marry him. However, if her heart belonged to another…. _What could he possibly do?_

“But Hannibal-” The prince objected.

“Has stopped any man from forcing me to marry him against my will.” The princess retorted, her voice filled with gratitude when it should have been rife with horror and disgust.

“By _eating_ them!” William spat.

“I admit it is not the most desirable method but-”

“There is no excuse for killing, Alana!” The prince stated firmly. “It is wrong.”

“What is right and wrong are merely social constructs.” Alana might have spoken the words but the prince knew their true origin.

“Please stop, you are beginning to sound just like him.” William begged.

The princess blushed a deep red. The prince was filled with alarm at the realization.

“You _desire_ him.” The whispered words were hard to force out of his throat. “You are _attracted_ to him.”

“Will-” Alana’s voice had a tone that was directed at Will very often, pity.

“You love Margot,” William hissed accusingly.

“I have not seen her in a long time,” The princess countered, “and this is nothing more than a harmless crush really, an infatuation at most.”

“He is not even human!” The prince yelled in frustration, pulling at his hair. “He is a dragon!”

“Oh, you have not seen it?” Alana asked breathlessly.

“Seen what?!”

“His human form?” Alana’s voice had a dreamy quality to it that made the prince want to vomit. “It is quite beautiful. Almost as lovely as the dragon.”

A feeling grew deep in William's heart that he was not accustomed too. It was an emotion that he refused to recognize.

“Are you alright, Will?” The princess's worried voice seemed distant and far away him as though William were underwater.  _What was wrong with him?_

Alana pressed her hand against his forehead, feeling his temperature. “You look unwell.”

“William.” The prince flinched at the heavily accented voice that was booming throughout the castle. He quickly pushed Alana's hand aside and ducked to hide underneath her bed. _He was so not in the mood to talk to his dragon captor._

“Will?” 

“We had a disagreement.” William simply replied as way of explanation, voice muffled by the bed sheets hiding him from view.

“William?”  The voice called again, this time it contained the slightest hint of emotion. Something only someone who had been in the company of the dragon for a long period of time would be able to notice. _Worry._

The prince peeked out of his hiding spot and noticed Alana's uncertain eyes.

“Tell him I am not here if he asks.” William commanded her, his voice becoming bitter. “You owe me, after all.”

The prince reached out and blindly fumbled around for some pillows from the top of the princess's bed. He positioned them around him, creating a makeshift mattress. _He might as well get comfortable. He was going to be here for a long time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, human Hannibal starts looking for his prince and he is NOT happy.


	9. The Search for Prince William

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“Will.” Alana urged him again.

“No.” He retorted stubbornly.

“Hannibal has been looking for you for days. He will kill me when he realizes I have been hiding you in here.”

“No, he will not.” William resentfully snapped. “He promised to keep you alive and _he always_ _keeps his promises_.”

“He might very well kill you.” The princess spoke fearfully, her eyes worriedly pinned to his.

“I have not ran away.” The prince pointed out, swallowing down his trepidation.

“Some might consider this running away from your problems.” Alana contradicted in the same calm and collected voice the dragon used. The thought choked him up with emotion. _Damn, the prince could not believe he was admitting it but he actually missed the murderous beast._

There was a knock on Alana’s door that had William diving under her bed headfirst. The princess's anxiety peaked as she rushed to right her bed covers to properly conceal him.

“Princess Alana Bloom?” Hannibal queried. “Are you decent?”

The prince rolled his eyes at the lovely etiquette the dragon was displaying. Sure, the dragon provided William with fresh clothes to change into but did he give him the privacy to change? _No_. Why not? _Trust is something that must be earned, dear William._

“Yes, I am decent.” Alana called out sweetly from where she was perched regally on her bed. “You may come in.”

The prince stifled a snigger at her attempt to impress the dragon with her manners. His jaw, however, dropped when he glanced under the bed covers and saw polished black shoes rather than elongated claws and scales. Alana's past words came back to haunt him, _You have not seen his human form? It is really quite beautiful._

“Have you come into recent contact with a scruffy young man? He is approximately six foot. A rather shifty fellow that avoids eye contact and is unspeakably rude.” Hannibal fired the words at a rapid pace. The rather offensive description caused the prince to raise his eyebrows.

“Does his name happen to be Prince William Graham?” Alana retorted innocently and the prince internally cursed her.

There was a pause, the drag – _erm_ – currently man, had frozen in his pacing and was deathly still. A peculiar noise filled the air, almost as if someone was sniffing deeply.

“You have become recently acquainted with William.” It was not posed as a question. There was something strange in Hannibal’s voice that the prince was not able to decipher.

“Recently acquainted?” The princess scoffed. “We are childhood friends. I know just about every one of his dirty little secrets.”

“I see.” Hannibal’s voice was cold as he slowly approached Alana’s bed with measured footsteps. “Does that mean you feel an attachment towards him?”

“To an extent.”

“Enough to say,” Hannibal continued nonchalantly, picking at a loose thread on her sheets. William held his breath at the close proximity to his hiding place, “share a bed with him?”

“Excuse me?!” Alana was outraged. “Are you suggesting what I think you are?!”

Hannibal raised a hand to silence her. “Do not lie to me, Princess Alana. I smell his scent clogging every corner of this room.”

The statement had the prince blushing profusely. He didn't think he stunk that badly. He pressed his nose into this clothes and took a deep whiff. _It was not overly bad. He had not changed clothes in a few days but it was not detectable from a distance._

Alana bit her lip, knowing she had been caught.

“You said some rather hurtful insults, Hannibal.” She justified quietly. “He needed some-”

“Where is he?” Hannibal interrupted which was uncharacteristically rude of him.

“I-”

“Alana Bloom.” The man breathed softly, his voice deceptively gentle. “I made an oath to your parents that I would not harm a single hair on your head and I must admit you are making it increasingly difficult for me to stay true to my word in this current moment.”

The threat hung heavy in the air. Thick tension crackled between them. The prince lowered his head, sensing that he was about to be discovered.

“Oh dear….” Alana trailed off as she finally understood the reason for Hannibal’s unusual and odd behaviour. An irrational flare of jealousy burned deep in her chest.

Hannibal, who had been watching her intently, was able to notice the shift in her expression. “Oh yes, Princess Alana. It would be unwise to conceal my prince from me any longer.”

A beat then. “He is under my bed.”

The prince barely had time to process the words before a hand was grasping his wrist and he was being yanked out from under the bed. He let out a grunt of surprise as he landed in the middle of the room. William's eyes widened as he came face to face with the man underneath the dragon. Hannibal loomed over him, an intimidating six foot. He was immaculately dressed in a crisp white shirt tucked into form fitting black trousers. The shirt accentuated his wide broad shoulders and strong lean arms. He had those same familiar high cheekbones though pale skin now adorned his face and body rather than black scales. Where horns once sat there was now thin blond hair sweeping across his forehead. Hannibal's intense maroon eyes (same in dragon and human form) scanned every inch of the prince as though accessing for injuries. William shifted, feeling very uncomfortable.

“H-hello, Hannibal.” William mumbled. His gaze fluttering away from those unique eyes and instead focusing on the few strands of hair falling into the man's face. Hannibal remained silent and the prince forced himself to remain calm. _Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe i_ -

The prince’s eyes widened in shock as he was suddenly airborne. His stomach roughly landed on Hannibal’s shoulder, causing him to wheeze out in pain.

“Hannibal!” Alana gasped in open horror. “What are you doing?!”

“I am merely returning William to where he belongs.” The man replied conversationally as though he weren't manhandling a struggling prince.

“Not the dungeons!” The princess pleaded desperately, stumbling towards him. “Please, Hannibal!”

“Of course not.” Hannibal frowned in obvious offense. “He belongs with all my other precious valuables and with me. He certainly has no place in your bedroom.”

Alana let out an offended huff as the man cleared her room, shutting the door carefully behind him. The prince, now recovered from his surprise, doubled his efforts for freedom.

“Put me down, Hannibal!” The prince roared, face red with embarrassment as he banged his fists against the man’s back.

“Shh.” Hannibal reassured the terrified prince, rubbing his free hand along William's back soothingly. “It is alright, William.”

“Like hell it is!” The prince sneered. “Let go of me, you brute!”

“That was rude.” Hannibal’s voice was low, the warning clear. Instinctively the prince froze, heart thudding at a fast pace when he came to the horrible realization that he was in the arms of a killer.

“Please do not kill me.” The whispered plea came out much more vulnerable than William had originally intended.

The man paused mid-step. “I would never merely kill you, William. I would consume you entirely.”

The prince’s panic spiked.

“Please do not eat me.” He moaned with fear.

“You are in luck, my prince.” Hannibal replied gently. “I happen to find the world much more interesting with you in it.”

William let out a sigh of relief. He was safe, for now.


	10. An Invasion of Personal Space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Useful to know
> 
> garderobe = a medieval toilet
> 
> For more information on what is looks like and how it works, visit this site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/45086834@N04/galleries/72157622968557854/

Hannibal was acting strange. _Well, more strange than a fire breathing dragon ought to behave._ It had started a few days after the prince had been dragged, quite literally, kicking and screaming out of Alana’s room. It was around this time that William had noticed something odd about his mattress. It had been moved towards the back of the treasury room in the corner furthest from the main door. The peculiar behaviour had continued when Hannibal began adorning his human form more often and following the prince everywhere throughout the castle. And when the prince said everywhere. He meant _everywhere._ It was so extreme that Hannibal had begun neglecting to guard his precious treasure in favour of aimlessly stalking William.

The prince gave it a week. Surely by then, the dragon would eventually tire of William’s boring routine which consisted of walking throughout the corridors silently while he secretly mapped out all the hidden pathways, talking for hours on end with Alana about life and sitting in the library for ages, flicking through the pages of a book. Yet, the man continued his little game as the days trickled into weeks. He became William’s shadow, always lurking in the peripherals of his vision. It was driving the prince _mental_. Hannibal never read a book in the library, studied the paintings on the walls as they walked or did anything remotely normal. He would just stare intensely at the prince, burning holes into his back with his gaze. Those maroon eyes never left him, not for a second of the day. William began having nightmares that he would grow old and grey with those unreadable eyes still pinned to his body. The prince knew it was only a matter of time before it all came to an eventual climax.

“Where are you going?” Hannibal queried as William broke his usual routine of spending three consecutive hours in the library.

“The garderobe.” The prince retorted shortly, feeling his irritation already begin to rise.

“I see,” Hannibal nodded solemnly as though the prince had just told him grave news, “I will accompany you.”

William scoffed. “That is hardly necessary. I know where it is.”

“I also require the lavatory.”

The prince’s eyes almost popped out of his head. “Do dragons not pee in the sky?”

Hannibal looked quite offended at the assumption. “Are you insisting that because part of my blood is dragon that I must behave in an uncivilized manner?”

“No,” William crossed his arms as his curiosity continued to nag him, “….but I have to ask. Have you ever pissed in the sky before? You must have, at least once. It would be a pain to have to change into your human form just for a quick whiz.”

“Never.” Hannibal glared venomously at the man who dare insult him with such ridiculous questions. “Besides, it is much too dangerous for my kind to excrete wastes so carelessly. Dragon urine is acidic. I could cause immense damage to the landscape with such vile behaviour.”

“Oh no, you would not want to damage the beautiful land.” William’s voice was coated in a thick layer of sarcasm. “Human lives on the other hand, those are expendable but destroying the fields and forests, now that would be just _inexcusable.”_

 _“_ Some creatures must protect nature from undue harm. Humans are far too selfish to care for the well-being of the planet.”

The prince grumbled under his breath that the specific "creature" should have a moral compass. Hannibal narrowed his eyes at him but otherwise remained silent, gesturing for William to walk ahead of him.

The prince paused as an idea sprung to mind. “You go first.”

“Pardon me?” The man blinked, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

William rolled his eyes at Hannibal’s sudden onset of stupidity. “Do your business first. There is only one garderobe after all. I will wait here.”

Hannibal hesitated. “Perhaps you should access the facility first. You were the first to complain of a full bladder.”

William gritted his teeth together. He knew exactly what the man was playing at. The prince would be halfway to the garderobe when he would hear the soft squeak of near silent footsteps. After he had relieved himself he would exit the door, only to bump into Hannibal. He would then hurry back to the library but no matter how fast he ran, the man would always be one step behind him. _Oh no, not this time. He has had enough._

“No, no.” William held a hand up towards the protesting man. “I _insist_ you go before me.”

Hannibal looked mildly suspicious.

“What?” The prince grounded out in obvious frustration. “You are always telling me to use my manners. This is me being a polite gentleman.”

The man glared at William for another minute in a tense standoff. He then slowly lowered himself back into his chair and crossed his legs. “Nevermind, I no longer require to use the facility.”

The prince closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to calm himself down. _Stupid insufferable dragon who cannot make up his bloody mind._  “Well, I still need to go. Do not wait outside the door this time.”

“Why not?” Hannibal cocked his head to one side in confusion.

The prince felt something inside him snap. He whirled around and faced Hannibal with fiery eyes. “Because it is fucking weird!”

The man stiffened and swallowed thickly. “My apologies, William. I did not intend for my actions to be perceived as such.”

William felt guilt curl in the bottom of his stomach which only made him more frustrated. He buried a hand in his hair and tugged at the strands with open annoyance.  “This has to stop, Hannibal.”

The man bowed his head. “I am well aware.”

William took a deep breath and released it along with his anger. “Then why do you keep invading my personal space? Why will you not leave me alone?” 

The man’s cheeks darkened slightly with a blush. It was the first time the prince had ever noticed an outward sign of embarrassment from Hannibal. That’s when William came to the sudden realization.

“You are scared.” The prince’s voice became softer and gentler as he empathized with Hannibal. “You are terrified that I will disappear again and this time you will lose me forever.”

“Do not be absurd.” Hannibal scoffed.

William brushed aside the man’s prickly attitude. “It is okay, Hannibal. I am not going anywhere. I rather value my life.”

Hannibal stared deeply at the prince, maroon eyes scanning for the telltale signs in those that are lying. _No lack of eye contact, no fidgeting, an average amount of blinking._ It was the truth.

“Alright.” Hannibal gave William a small smile. The first smile in weeks. “I believe you.”

The prince grinned lopsidedly in return. “Now, can I please piss in peace?”

The man gestured towards the door with his body firmly planted in his chair. “Be my guest.”

Hannibal did not move from his seat for the rest of the day, even when the prince left the room. William almost wept with relief.


	11. Cuddling (For Survival Purposes, of Course)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Hannigram cuteness just cause.

The nights grew colder in the castle as winter approached. The prince, unaccustomed to such freezing weather, would regularly awake at night shaking. He was so desperate for warmth one particularly cold evening that he even attempted to curl up beside the dragon’s tail. However, the scales were icy rather than heated and only served to make the prince’s plummeting body temperature worse. Hannibal, upon noticing the prince’s dilemma, transformed one night before bed.

“W-what are you doing?” William’s teeth chattered as he felt a dip in the mattress.

“I am providing you with warmth.” The man retorted softly, reaching towards the prince as he slipped underneath the mound of blankets. William stiffened as he felt Hannibal press against his back and wrap a cautious arm around his waist. “This is the only way I know how.”

The prince slowly relaxed and let out a contented sigh as he felt heat seep into his skin. He pushed himself further into the man’s hard body, intertwining their legs and arms together. Gradually, feeling returned to his fingers and toes that were previously numb. 

“Next time,” William grumbled, cheeks aflame at the rather embarrassing situation, “just light a fire.”

“And risk burning down the entire castle and all my treasures?” Hannibal was appalled by the request. “I could never do such a thing.”

The prince scoffed. “You are such a child sometimes.”

“Did you just insult a shapeshifting dragon that is already in a close enough proximity to consume you?” Hannibal questioned with a small smile. “Some would say that is idiotic.”

“They obviously have not met you.” William countered with a grin. “In order to remain entertaining I must constantly risk my life. It is a paradox in itself.”

Hannibal hummed and the two fell into a comfortable silence. The prince was on the verge of sleep when he was awoken yet again.

“My prince?” Hannibal whispered reverently, his breath tickling William’s ear. The prince suppressed a shiver at the intimacy surrounding them.

“Yes?”

“I no longer desire to devour you or harm you at all for that matter.” The man admitted huskily. William’s heartbeat quickened at his words.

“Even if I try to run?” The prince pressed jokingly as he tried to lighten the mood.

“Even then, I do not think I could bring myself to do it.” Hannibal confessed lowly, voice hardening considerably as he added. “That does not mean attempting to escape would be any less foolish. I have the eyes of a hawk and wings that propel me faster than any steed alive. I will _find_ you.”

“Alright,” William yawned with fatigue, “it would have been nice to know that earlier.”

“Oh?” Hannibal prompted curiously.

“I have been shitting myself for the better half of this year thinking I was about to become a main course.”

“Do not be foolish, William.” Hannibal tutted. “You are much too lean and supple to be an entree. You would be much better suited as a dessert.”

“Wow, thanks. Way to help with my nightmares.” William sarcastically jabbed as he snuggled in and settled down. “Night.”

“Goodnight, darling William.” Hannibal replied with fond eyes. He listened carefully for William’s slowing heartbeat. Only when the prince was in a deep enough sleep, did the man allow himself to lower his nose to his boy’s neck and sniff daintily. The concoction of sweat, metallic gold and something uniquely William was heavenly but there was something else there too, something new. Hannibal pressed his nose further and took a deep whiff, finally able to pinpoint the new smell. It was _himself._ The knowledge made the man’s animalistic side positively preen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, Hannibal's pretty smitten at this point. But the big question is, is Will just as taken with Hannibal?


	12. Becoming Closely Acquainted with King Mason Verger and His Sharp Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long chapter title. It's an absolute mouthful.

Prince William was uncertain of how many days or months had passed. It was as if time itself had slowed down in the castle and with very little entertainment besides Hannibal, the prince was in a constant state of boredom. Unexpectedly, William felt himself being grabbed around his waist and hurled into the open door of a room. A sense of déjà vu engulfed him at the memory of similar circumstances, causing a stab of pain as he remembered his fallen knight and friend Jack Crawford.

The cold tip of a sword being pressed against the base of his throat quickly snapped him out of his lamenting.

“King Mason Verger,” Came the quick introduction, “and if you do not tell me where Princess Alana Bloom is in five seconds, I will cut off your fingers and toes one by one until you are writhing in agony and then, and only then, will I think about ending your miserable life.”

The prince raised an eyebrow.  _Impolite._

“Prince William Graham.” The prince retorted calmly, extending his hand in greeting as bowing was certainly out of the question. “I am not an enemy. I happen to be a prisoner of Hanni - _the dragon_.”

Mason grinned eerily. “That is fascinating, it really is. However, I really do not care. Do you or do you not know where Princess Alana Bloom is?”

William was rather certain that there was only one answer to that question that would allow him to live.

“Yes, I can lead you to her if you would like?” The lie bubbled easily from his lips.

***

Hannibal was nowhere in sight when William entered the large cavernous treasure room filled with glinting gold and jewels. He even checked the roof. The prince felt a headache coming on. _That stupid dragon is never there when he needs him and is always there when the prince does not want to see him. Whatever, William does not need his help. He is no damsel in distress. He is Prince William Graham for crying out loud! He knows how to defend himself!_

“I do not see Princess Alana.” Mason sneered. “Unless she is hiding under all these mounds of treasure?”

After a couple of vicious kicks at the piles of coins, precious stones and various other sacred objects - _Yes, the prince has noticed the religious crosses and no, he does not know what game Hannibal is playing at -_ Mason gave an irritated huff. William wanted to point out that had Alana been under all that gold she could have been severely injured. Again, the prince had a feeling this did not matter to Mason. That made it all the more important for William to keep Alana’s whereabouts hidden from him. While the king had been distracted with his search through Hannibal's valuables, William had inched ever closer to his own sword that was lying patiently on his mattress. It was beckoning him; _I am here. I am waiting._ William wished his armour was also there as without it the fight was hardly fair.  

“I do not understand why you brought me here.” Mason suddenly exclaimed with a loud put-upon sigh. “Are you trying to bribe me with all this money to spare your life? This is a joke! I am a king and already have such luxuries at my feet!”

William was only half a meter from his sword and self-absorbed Mason was still ranting about his lavish life. When his hands finally enclosed around the handle of his weapon, a breath of relief escaped his lips. The prince only had a moment of peace before a loud swooshing sound had him rearing his sword up. He had only just deflected Mason’s attempt to slice off his head with the move, the sword grazing his neck. William felt the familiar trickle of liquid running down his throat and he retaliated viciously with a hard swing. Together they dueled, meeting blow for blow.

“I would advise,” William panted with physical exertion, wincing as he strained his hand combating a particularly hard thrust of Mason’s sword, “that you attempt to be polite when the almighty Hannibal graces us with his late presence.”

“Is that so?” Mason cackled loudly, head thrown backwards as he manically wielded his own weapon. “And how should I address his lordship?”

“Whatever you do, do not call him _dragon.”_ The prince warned with a grimace, remembering their first meeting with vivid detail.

“That should not be too hard,” Mason grinned widely, “as I plan to skip the small talk and just cut off his head instead.”

“Good luck with that.” The prince’s reply lacked any real conviction or desire.

“William, you did not inform me that you had invited a guest.” The familiar accented voice boomed loudly.

The two men both jumped in surprise, breaking apart from their duel.

“King Mason Verger.” The man introduced himself and bless him, he didn’t even look remotely terrified as he glanced up at the massive creature. Hannibal’s large head glanced left to right as he intensely surveyed the area. His eyes lingered on the prince, particularly at the shallow cut marring the delicate plane of his neck.

“Mason, you invade my home and damage my most prized possession.” The dragon's voice was scolding, much like an angry parent. “Your behaviour has been unspeakably rude. What is to be done about that?”

“I do not know, dragon.” Mason drawled with a smirk as Hannibal’s eyes narrowed at the insulting term. “What punishment do you think is fitting of my crimes?”

“I believe death is a rather suitable end.” Hannibal’s eyes were glowing a ruby red, a tell-tale sign that a fire was building in the depths of his stomach. “Whenever feasible one should always eat the rude, after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun. Dun. Duuun.


	13. The Battle

The dragon opened his mouth and was about to breathe a fiery death onto the Verger when Mason reached into his armour and pulled out a strange contraption that looked suspiciously like a collar to William. He then threw it at the dragon. The black material magically slid itself around the dragon’s neck, locking into place. All at once, Hannibal began to shake and spasm, shrinking in size. Mason already had his sword ready, aimed at heart level for when the transformation was complete. The prince realized with horror that the dragon had been forced to shift into his human form and was unprepared for Mason’s fatal attack that awaited. William did not think, he did. He thrusted his sword at Mason and jumped in front of Hannibal’s body, protecting his captor. The king instantly leapt into battle again.

“I thought you said you were a prisoner here?” Mason seemed just as confused by the change of heart as William.

“I am!" The prince gritted out as he fought off the king’s aggressive hits.

“What are you doing then?” Mason queried with a raised eyebrow and a skeptical tone. “Whose side are you on?”

“I do not know.” William admitted. All he knew was that he could not let _his_ dragon - um _the_ dragon - die. The prince was really conflicted.

“Let me help you decide.” Mason coaxed. “If you help me defeat the beast then I will give you half the riches we stand on for compensation and allow you to return home to your people.”

William’s empathy kicked to life. His mind was bombarded with image after image of himself being gutted open from chest to navel.

“You _lie._ ” William spat feverishly, his reality and imagination dangerously intermixing. “You will use my extensive knowledge of Hannibal’s weaknesses and then, when he is destroyed, slice me open like a fish and leave me for dead!”

Mason seemed stunned at the very accurate description of his plan disposing of Prince William Graham. His momentarily lapse of attention allowed the prince to slice the king in the small exposed flesh between his shoulder and neck in the armour, creating a rather deep gash. Mason immediately switched from offensive to defensive, battling away William before he could cause any further damage.

“You have no honour and you play dirty!” The prince seethed hatefully as he was surrounded by feminine cries begging for a mercy that was not granted. He saw the ripping of flesh with a small knife, felt Mason’s joy at her pained cries. “The world will be better off rid of you!”

Another slash. This time William was able to cut into the man’s ankle, finding an exposed point between his metal boots and his leg armour. Mason hissed and the sound was like music to William's ears. The clanging of metal continued. All William could think of was  _where the fuck was Hannibal to finish this jerk off? Maybe he was more hurt than William had anticipated by the collar._

With the prince’s distracting thoughts, Mason was able to break through William’s deflection of his blows and strike his right hand. William cried out as he reflectively dropped his sword, blood dripping down his fingers and splashing onto Hannibal’s pristine treasure. It really was poor survival instincts that his last thought before his inevitable death was that _Hannibal was going to be so pissed off and will spend forever trying to clean the blood from his gold._

Mason triumphantly grinned, sword drifting from William’s hand to his heart.

“Usually, I would relish in this but I simply do not have the time.” The king sounded rather disappointed as he lifted off his helmet to better see his victim's demise. “I suppose a quick stab will do."

William’s injured hand was cradled to his chest in an attempt to nurse it. Ignoring his fear, the prince forced himself to make eye contact with his enemy. The more honorable way to die. William gagged as he felt the cool metal pierce through his chest. He glanced down, his eyes becoming heavy as blood poured from the wound. His knees buckled and he collapsed, staring up at Mason with furious eyes. An animalistic snarl echoed throughout the cavern as Hannibal, who had recovered from the shock of the collar and forced change, shed his rigid composure. He leaped onto Mason’s back, sharp teeth glinting in the light of the candles before they latched onto the man’s throat. The shapeshifter tore a good portion of flesh off, lips momentarily matching the color of his eyes. William’s eyelids were becoming heavy as his hands clutched at his chest but he forced himself to stay awake and watch the majestic being that was Hannibal. The man’s fingernails, still sharp and long even in human form, scratched through Mason’s armour and flesh to reach bone. The cries and gurgles of the king echoed loudly throughout the treasure room. The prince couldn’t imagine his last image being anything _more_ perfect. Maroon eyes held hazy blue as the man wrapped his arms around Mason from behind. The shapeshifter then plunged a clawed hand into the king’s chest cavity, ignoring the man’s pitiful writhing and crying as his hands gripped the wanted organ. The _beat beat_ of Mason’s heart thudded down Hannibal’s arm and with an euphoric grin and a quick twist, it stopped. The man gently removed the organ and stretched his bloody arm out, an offering to William that spoke volumes. _You have my heart._

The prince’s vision became clouded as he choked out his last words. “It is _beautiful.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, don't worry. Will is not dead.
> 
> If you're wondering where that collar came from, there's a bit of backstory behind it that I didn't think was important enough to include in the main story. Princess Bedelia Du Maurier is actually a closeted witch who created the magical device and gave it to Mason. Enraged that William did not accept marriage with her and knowing he went in search of Princess Alana, she coerced Mason (who was already looking for another queen, the former one having "mysteriously disappeared") into going after Alana to be his bride. She knew full well that he would easily kill William if he got in his way which is part of her revenge scheme.


	14. Dragon Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for leaving you guys on a cliffhanger for so long.

William startled awake and found that he was lying on his mattress. His eyes darted around the familiar treasury room.  _How was this possible? Did he not die? He was stabbed!_

The prince scrambled to remove his bloody shirt, perplexed when he realized that it was clean and new. _What the hell?_ William stared at his bare torso, wondering if it had all been a nightmare. He traced a thin, white scar on his chest with a gentle finger.  _It was real._

“How am I alive right now?” William wondered aloud.

“Mason narrowly missed your heart by millimeters. The wound you received, while still fatal if left unattended, prolonged your death and gave me the time necessary to heal it.” Hannibal supplied helpfully, causing William to jump in surprise at the dragon’s presence. The prince wondered how he could have missed the gigantic creature before noticing that Hannibal was in his human form. The collar was long gone and so was Mason's corpse. William frowned to himself.

“There was so much blood though. There was no way...” The prince paused in horror as his hands glinted green in the sunlight. They were a strange smooth and rough texture. “Oh God! What did you do, Hannibal?! There are scales on my hands! Why are there fucking scales on my hands, Hannibal?!”

William was hyperventilating at this point, causing the dragon immense concern. Hannibal quickly strode in front of the prince, planting warm and reassuring hands on his face. He forced the royal to make eye contact with him.

“William.” Hannibal spoke softly and oh so gently. “I need you to calm down for me, can you do that?”

The man shook his head, scrunching his eyes closed as his breathing worsened.

“My prince?” Hannibal prodded. “Focus on me.”

William's eyes snapped open, gaze latching onto Hannibal like a lifeline. The shapeshifter reached for the prince's scaly hand, pausing to admire the texture. The feeling made his eyes close momentarily with pleasure but he forced himself to focus on what was important. He placed William's hand flat against his chest, directly above his heart.

“Can you feel that?” Hannibal’s voice was low and rhythmic. “Can you feel my heart beneath your palm?”

The prince nodded with flushed cheeks.

“Concentrate on the rise and fall and try to slow your breathing to the same rhythm.” Hannibal instructed.

William closed his eyes and forced all thoughts from his mind except for the beating life beneath Hannibal’s skin. He felt infinitely calmer as the minutes drifted by, their hearts beating in synchronization, as _one._

“Good boy.” Hannibal praised with a small smile and an affectionate caress of William’s curls. The prince leaned into the touch before he realized what he was doing and stiffened. _Screw it. He already died for the man-dragon, he deserved this pampering._ With that sorted, William closed his eyes and relaxed.

“Alright,” William spoke with a resigned sigh, “go on and tell me how you saved my life and it better not be something as cliché as true loves kiss."

Hannibal looked mildly uncomfortable for most probably the first time in his life. “Dragon tears.”

The prince paused, his voice dumbfounded. “You _cried_ over me?”

The shapeshifter cringed at the wording, acting nothing like his usual narcissistic self. “It appears that I am not as cold hearted as we both originally thought.”

“I never knew dragon tears had healing properties.” William’s voice was filled with awe before his eyes grew dark and accusing. “You selfish bastard! Think of all the lives you could have saved with those tears! I bet you were alive during plagues and did nothing to help all those dying children!”

Hannibal’s mouth thinned. “It is not as simple as that, William. It is a very difficult feat to make a dragon weep. It is something that cannot be forced. Even I, myself, cannot cry by sheer willpower alone.”

“Really?” William’s voice was sarcastic. “Because you had no problem sobbing over a pig such as myself.”

“You are no longer a pig in my eyes,” Hannibal paused, unsure of whether or not to divulge the next bit of information, “or technically human anymore.”

“What?!” The prince’s eyes were wide. “What do you mean?!”

“Once a human is healed by a dragon, he undergoes a transformation into the same creature.” Hannibal was speaking calmly and rationally. “It makes sense in our race for this to happen as dragon tears have numerous properties besides healing and transformation. They can destroy and wipe out entire populations of species when used in potions, killing dragons and humans alike. Therefore, to limit the production and risk of tears, those we cry over become stronger by being given dragon like abilities to survive.”

“This is insane.” The prince muttered to himself, head in his hands. “Absolutely insane.”

“William, there is nothing to be worried about.” Hannibal comforted the distraught man with a hand on his shoulder. “I assure you being a dragon is quite entertaining.”

“I am sure it is _Mr. I like to torture people before I eat them._ ” The prince spat out bitterly.

A small frown graced Hannibal’s lips. “I thought we had overcame the unpleasantries of the past.”

“Of course,” William’s tone was venomous as he rolled his eyes, “I have completely forgiven the dragon that impaled my knight with a sword and roasted my horse alive.”

“If you are full of such hatred for me, why did you save my life?” Hannibal retorted, mildly irritated.

The prince opened his mouth, ready to spit out a witty reply but found that he was speechless. He had a sudden flashback to Hannibal’s human form elegantly ripping out Mason’s throat.

“I do not know.” William mumbled, face growing hot.

“William,” Hannibal warned with a barely there smirk, “you are already aware -”

“That you can tell when I am lying.” The prince interjected with a sigh. “Yeah, yeah. I _know.”_

“Then why do you continue to do so?”

“For reasons that allude me.” The prince's voice rose to a higher pitch with the lie.

“Oh, you certainly do know, darling William.” Hannibal chuckled with mirth. “I believe this hostile attitude directed towards me is not the result of my past actions or your body adjusting to your transmogrification into a dragon.”

“Yeah,” The prince sneered though his voice had lost most of its fight, “and what do you think the cause of my _hostile attitude_ is then, wise old dragon?”

“I conclude that you are struggling to deal with an epiphany you experienced before Mason attempted to end your life.” Hannibal’s eyes burned intensely into William’s own as his voice became deeper and huskier. “You fear that you have lost your sanity as what you feel is not deemed suitable by your consciousness given the situation that you have found yourself in this past year.” The prince swallowed thickly as Hannibal pressed on. “Your logical brain refutes your heart's claim that you have fallen in love with your captor.”


	15. Happily Ever After?

The prince opened his mouth but his protests were silenced by an upheld hand.

“Yet when it came down to my life or yours, you chose to sacrifice your own to save mine.” Hannibal’s voice was fond now, looking at William with endeared eyes. “A conscious decision that was made by both head and heart which tells me now that the only obstacle holding you back from proclaiming your feelings for me is your pride dear William and your fear of your kingdom's expectations.”

The prince was gobsmacked. The dragon was right _. Of course he was._

“Kingdom's expectations?” William queried in a small voice.

“That you take a princess to marry. A future queen to bare your heirs and carry on the Graham name.”

“None of that matters.” The prince pointed out. “I am a prisoner here and will never return home.”

“Not anymore, my prince.” Hannibal had that strange smile again.

“What do you mean?” William should have been excited and elated at the words. Instead, all he felt was dread and desperation.

“I am setting you free. You may go wherever you desire.”

“That is it? You are kicking me out?!” The prince growled, eyes burning uncontrollably. “After everything we have been through you have finally had enough of me! Have I lost my value?! Am I no longer _interesting_?!”

“William, you will always fascinate me but I no longer wish to restrain you against your will so you remain at my side."Hannibal replied gently in an attempt to soothe the distraught prince. "You are my equal now and I will treat you as such by giving you the choice and independence to make your own decisions.” 

“Why? Why this sudden change of heart?” The prince begged for an answer. “And do not tell me it is because I have helped you rediscover your humanity or something as equally sappy and false. I just saw you rip out a man’s throat with your teeth alone. There is nothing remotely human inside of you.”

“I love you, William.” Hannibal struggled to force the words past his lips. It had been decades since he had last uttered them. “Have you ever heard the popular saying that if you love someone set them free, if they come back then it was meant to be?”

“Love me?" The prince blinked uncomprehendingly at the ludicrously of it all. "Why?”

“For many reasons; you challenge me intellectually, truly understand me as both dragon and man, are quite charming,” The shapeshifter made a show of pointedly staring at the prince’s chest which was still bare, “and are fairly attractive.”

“Hey!” The prince grinned wolfishly as he chastised. “Leering at a man like that is rather improper, Hannibal. Where are your manners?”

“I apologize darling William but perhaps you should wear more clothes if you do not wish to be worshipped.” Hannibal retorted lowly with dark eyes that had the prince gasping. “I am afraid that only one question remains.”

“Huh?” William muttered in a daze, presently distracted by Hannibal’s unfairly beautiful face.

“Are my feelings requited?” 

The prince scoffed to himself. “I think you already know the answer to that. What with the thorough dissection of my behaviour earlier and all.”

“Perhaps,” Hannibal lowered his head until his forehead was pressed to the prince’s own and their breath was mingling, “I desire to hear you utter the words yourself. I am sure they will sound infinitely more beautiful falling from your lips.”

The prince rolled his eyes at the poetic response, his mouth aching from smiling too much. “I love you too, you insufferable drag -”

William's last words were smothered by another pair of lips. A rather rude but not at all unwelcome distraction.

And the prince and his dragon lived happily ever after in their castle full of blood and violence.....

 

(Well, at least they _would have_ if it wasn't for William's meddling parents).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter to go, guys!


	16. Murder Husbands

“You wish to marry a man?” Catherine Graham, queen of the Baltimore area, gasped with horror. “But that is most unheard of!”

“It is against our customs.” Charles Graham agreed with a grimace as he stared furiously at his son’s hand clutched in the grip of this unheard of male. “We cannot condone this union, William. Please go and bring forth a _princess_ you find suitable.”

The prince’s mouth dropped open in shock and outrage. _He had believed his parents would at least be happy that he had returned after a year long absence and had settled on a spouse but instead they were being cruel and rude._ His face was becoming a rather violent shade of red and he clenched his jaw in an attempt to reign in his anger. Hannibal stroked his fingers soothingly across William's hand and felt minutely better when his prince started to relax.

He then leaned forward and pressed his lips to the shell of his fiancé’s ear, ignoring King and Queen Graham’s disapproving glares.

“Do not worry, my darling.” Hannibal whispered softly with a small smile. “I can resolve this situation.”

The shapeshifter stepped away from William. His maroon eyes glowed as he grew in size, his prim and proper garments being torn to pieces as he morphed. His fingernails grew into long and deadly claws, his neck elongated and his tail lengthened as scales began to encompass every inch of bare skin.

King and Queen Graham observed with wide and fearful eyes as what was once a man had become a large, fire-breathing dragon.

“It appears that I have failed to properly introduce myself. My name is Hannibal Lecter and I am half dragon, half human.” Hannibal spoke formally with a small bow of acknowledgement towards the quivering couple. “I had wished to retain a civil relationship with my soon to be in laws but you have given me no choice but to adopt unsavory methods of persuasion.”

“H-how?” The king stuttered as he stared in horror, unable to comprehend what was happening. “W-what?”

“You will allow William and I to marry or I shall wreak havoc on this small, miserable village and your rather unimpressive castle.” Hannibal threatened with a manacle grin. His sharp teeth glinted in the lighting of the throne room. Catherine Graham fainted with fear.

“He is not bluffing.” William supplied with fond eyes. “He sets fire to everything he can get his hands on. He is a bit of a pyromaniac.”

“I also enjoy indulging on human flesh.” Hannibal added as an afterthought. “Although your people are rather bony with starvation, they will suffice to communicate my point.”

“How dare you threaten me in my own kingdom?! William, come here this instant so we can protect you from this ridiculous being!” Charles Graham roared. He hastily scrambled to his feet and rushed towards his son. Hannibal narrowed his eyes minutely which caused the king to freeze and slowly retreat back to his throne.

“You would allow this spawn of the devil to attack your people?” The king barked at William, face filled with scorn and disapproval.

“My so called people,” William spat with undeniable hatred, “claim I am insane and an unfit prince. I have no loyalty towards those who wish ill on me.”

“You ungrateful swine.” The king sneered at his son as he turned his back on him. “I cannot bare to look at you. Leave me be!”

William cast his eyes downwards.

“You dare insult my fiancé in front of my face." Hannibal growled in a low and malicious timbre. “I shall burn you all for this crime!”

“Hannibal, no!” William rushed towards him.

“Guards!” Charles ordered, prompting a group of men clad in uniforms to enter the room from either side. One knight even had the audacity to grab his William with force and restrain him against his will. Hannibal’s vision became red.

***

One hour, two new formal garments and many dead bodies later, Hannibal Lecter and his husband William Lecter left the white church situated in the centre of Baltimore. The sight of horrified townspeople and the tightlipped King and Queen Graham graced them the instant they opened the doors. The prince laughed at their faces as he and Hannibal withdrew from another heavy kiss. The only sound of cheering came from the newly united Margot and Princess Alana who watched nearby with hope for a change in the strict marriage laws.

“Shall we go?” Hannibal smiled warmly at his husband, extending his elbow courteously. William stared at the awaiting carriage and his face broke into a wide grin.

“Screw this!” The prince exclaimed as he closed his eyes. He felt his legs and arms elongate as wings broke free from his back. When his eyes opened once more, his vision was crisper and sharper. The frightened screaming and running of the peasants faded away as he focused on the man beside him. Hannibal’s mouth had dropped open in awe and he was gazing at William with eyes filled with adoration.

“You are truly magnificent, my prince.” Hannibal breathed heavily, eyes drinking in the green glittering scales and pearly white spikes. The prince’s form was thicker than Hannibal’s, more muscular than lithe. His face was also more noticeably rounder with a squarer jawline. _Hannibal had never seen a creature more exquisite._ The prince smirked at Hannibal’s appreciative staring and gave a small practice flicker of his wings. He then pushed off his hind legs and soared into the air.

“What are you waiting for?” The prince called down to his husband who was still frozen. William rolled his eyes. “Well, I am off to our honeymoon. See you later.”

Hannibal had never transformed so fast in his life as he flew up to meet William. The two dragons began an intricate dance. The green and black of their scales blurring and merging to become one as they flew around and beside each other. Intimately whirling until it was impossible to tell where one dragon started and the other one ended. Two hearts beating as one for all eternity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! Thanks so much for reading and showing your support!


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